appendix msocial impact management plan (updated) · core exploration grants lithium project social...

Grants Lithium ProjectEnvironmental Impact Statement – Supplement

APPENDIX M SOCIAL IMPACT MANAGEMENT PLAN (UPDATED)

This document was originally submitted as Appendix N of the Draft EIS.

This document replaces all previous versions.

Core Exploration Ltd Grants Lithium Project

Social Impact Management Plan

Prepared by True North Strategic Communication

March 2019

Consultation statement

True North Strategic Communication is guided by the principles of good community engagement, based on people’s level of interest and concern as outlined by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2).

Our role is to provide stakeholders and the general public with objective information, so they can provide informed feedback on consultation projects. We give people the opportunity to provide input that is balanced and reflective of the range of community views to independently provide the best possible guidance to decision makers.

Our practice reflects professional standards and ethical standards for human research including anonymity, confidentiality, record storage and keeping people informed.

Core Exploration Grants Lithium Project Social Impact Management Plan 2

Table of Contents

1 Executive summary....................................................................................................... 3

2 Project Outline.............................................................................................................. 4

3 Plan ............................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 The concept of social sustainability .................................................................................. 7 3.3 Community consultation .................................................................................................. 7 3.4 Requirements of the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority ................... 7

4 Key findings .................................................................................................................. 8 4.1 People and communities .................................................................................................. 9

4.1.1 Key findings relating to people and communities ........................................................ 10 4.1.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 10

4.2 Business and economies ................................................................................................ 11 4.2.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 12

4.3 Employment and education ........................................................................................... 13 4.3.1 Key findings relating to employment and education ................................................... 14 4.3.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 14

4.4 Infrastructure and social services ................................................................................... 14 4.4.1 Key findings relating to infrastructure and social services ........................................... 15 4.4.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 16

4.5 Health, wellbeing and safety .......................................................................................... 17 4.5.1 Key findings relating to health, wellbeing and safety ................................................... 18 4.5.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 19

4.6 Culture and heritage ...................................................................................................... 19 4.6.1 Key findings relating to culture and heritage ............................................................... 20 4.6.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 20

4.7 Environment................................................................................................................... 21 4.7.1 Key findings relating to environment .......................................................................... 21 4.7.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 22

4.8 Human rights .................................................................................................................. 22 4.8.1 Key findings relating to human rights .......................................................................... 22 4.8.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 22

4.9 Cumulative ..................................................................................................................... 23 4.9.1 Key findings relating to cumulative impacts and opportunities.................................... 23 4.9.2 Management and mitigation....................................................................................... 23

5 Commitments register ................................................................................................ 24


1 Executive summary This Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) provides an outline of key positive and negative impacts identified in the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for Core Exploration’s Grants Lithium Project.

It is intended to be a stand-alone document that sets out the company’s plans and commitments around social performance for the life of the Grants Lithium Project, including mitigation of negative impacts and enhancement of potential opportunities. It outlines how these will be monitored and managed and sets up a framework for reporting against commitments made.

The project site is on the Cox Peninsula just off the Cox Peninsula Road on vacant Crown Land. Most of the surrounding land is also undeveloped vacant Crown Land. The Cox Peninsula area is recognised as Larrakia country with a large section of the peninsula part of the successful Kenbi Land Claim however this does not include the project site. The area has a history of mining activity, however development in the area has been limited. The project is expected to be operational for up to three years, creating 100 to 150 jobs.

The key opportunities identified from the project are the opportunities for direct and indirect jobs including Indigenous employment and local contracts, and the flow-on effects of these. This includes a boost to the local economy through payments to workers, contractors and local companies and local procurement of goods and services. Sponsorship is also identified as a key opportunity for impacted communities, particularly Berry Springs.

Key negative impacts identified include increased road safety risk due to project traffic, particularly in built-up areas and specifically around the Berry Springs Primary School, and traffic delays or congestion due to additional industrial and workforce traffic and road closures due to blasting activity three times per week. It should be noted that during consultation, stakeholders and the community were advised that blasting may occur daily. Core revised its proposed blasting schedule to three times per week after the SIA consultation period had closed.

This assessment finds a total of five opportunities and 16 potentially negative impacts, although all except two of the negative impacts have a LOW rating.

The five positive impacts are all rated as MODERATE, meaning they are expected to have a MODERATE positive impact after enhancement. These are:

• local communities benefit through distribution of sponsorship funds • local businesses benefit from winning contracts • local economies stimulated through payments to workers, contractors and local

companies • boost to direct and indirect local employment, through jobs on the project or

throughout the local supply chain • Indigenous employment opportunities.


Of the negative potential impacts, there were none with an overall EXTREME or HIGH rating, two had a MODERATE rating, 13 were assessed as LOW and one was not assigned a rating.

The two MODERATE impact ratings were:

• increased road safety risk due to project traffic, particularly in built-up areas • traffic delays or congestion from additional industrial, workforce vehicles and

blasting.

This SIMP lists all social positive and negative impacts, their residual risk ratings and mitigation and ongoing management measures, including commitments by Core Exploration in relation to its ongoing social performance.

Core Exploration’s commitments include to:

• establish the mechanism for ongoing engagement with key stakeholders and the community

• agree on indicators to be monitored • develop a grievance procedure so the community can continue to raise issues and

recommendations for ongoing engagement and communication • address issues raised in the SIA in relevant management plans • maximise Indigenous employment opportunities • prioritise the local market in recruitment and procurement policies • identify opportunities for community investment and sponsorship • prepare workforce policies • share relevant monitoring results with the community • maintain good communication and engagement with the community.

2 Project Outline Core Exploration Ltd (Core) is an Australian resources company that is proposing to develop a $53.5 million Grants Lithium Project (the project), 32 kilometres west of Darwin on the Cox Peninsula.

The project has a resource of 1.8 million tonnes of high grade spodumene, a mineral containing lithium which is key to the production of lithium batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

The project site is just off Cox Peninsula Road, about 36 kilometres west of Berry Springs and 15 kilometres south of the Belyuen community.


The project involves mining and processing on site and trucking the concentrate product about 90 kilometres to Darwin Port for export. It is expected that there will be one ship per week shipping the product from Darwin Port to China.

The project site would include a drill and blast open pit, a Run of Mine (ROM) Pad, processing facilities, surface water dams and storage facilities, and a combined waste rock dump and tailings storage facility.

Following regulatory approvals, Core aims to be operational in the first half of 2019 with the first ore trucked to port by November 2019.

The project is expected to be operational for at least two to three years, creating 100 to 150 jobs.

This SIMP covers construction of the mine and supporting infrastructure, the extraction, processing and transport of concentrate by road to Darwin Port, and closure and rehabilitation post-mining. It includes construction, project and workforce traffic along Cox Peninsula Road and the Stuart Highway, and associated mine buildings and infrastructure.

8,620,000mN

8,600,000mN

8,580,000mN

8,560,000mN

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TAS

Grants Lithium Project

Core EL

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Sealed road

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Railway

Gas pipeline

Grants Lithium Resource

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N O R T H E R N

T E R R I T O R Y

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3 Plan This Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) is intended as a stand-alone document that summarises social impacts and opportunities of the project and outlines Core’s management plans for the company’s long-term social performance. In essence, it covers impacts and opportunities from the perspective of the people whose lives, livelihoods and lifestyles are affected by the project.

The plan summarises key findings of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and outlines the management measures Core will take to avoid or minimise negative impacts and enhance potential benefits of the project.

Core is committed to:

• ongoing community input to the company’s social performance, such as through regular stakeholder briefings or a local advisory group involving Larrakia people (the traditional owners of the Cox Peninsula), local government, Territory government, community representatives and other local people where community stakeholders can raise issues

• ongoing measurement against key indicators so progress can be monitored on issues such as road safety and traffic, local content and jobs, pressure on emergency services, implementation of commitments programs, and operation of grievance procedures

• annual public reporting to both the community and Core’s board against these indicators in a simple format, such as an annual report card or sustainability report

• management being held accountable for the company’s ongoing social performance, by reporting to Core’s Board against agreed management plans and commitments and associated key performance criteria.

The SIMP is intended to be a practical, succinct and readable document. It allows for a flexible, adaptive approach to identify and respond to emerging issues and considers long-term legacies of the project over the life cycle of the mine.

3.1 Methodology Scoping for the SIA informed an initial impact assessment exercise to assess the consequence and likelihood of potential impacts to the community against certain criteria. This exercise adopted methodology in line with the AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk Management – Principles and guidelines, with ratings further refined after fieldwork.

The SIA profiled the communities affected by the project, gathered baseline data, then used qualitative data from interviews to complete the picture of the project’s social context and predict likely impacts and opportunities. The impacts are both positive and negative, direct and indirect and long and short-term. Some impacts may be unintended or difficult to manage. Ratings are higher where there is uncertainty or potential loss of life.


Based on an initial issues analysis, potential impacts were categorised using the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) Principles’ (Vanclay, 2003) and Guidelines’ (Vanclay et al., 2015) description of social impacts as those that impact on:

• people’s way of life: how they live, work, play and interact with each other • their culture, or shared beliefs, customs, values, language or dialect • their political systems, or the extent to which people can participate in decisions

that affect their lives • their environment, including the quality of air and water, food, the level of

hazard, dust and noise, physical safety and access to natural resources • their health and wellbeing, which is a state of complete physical, mental, social

and spiritual wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity • their personal and property rights, including a violation of their civil liberties • their fears and aspirations, including perceptions of safety, fears about the

future of their community and aspirations for their future and the future of their children.

3.2 The concept of social sustainability The concept of social sustainability is based on ensuring a positive legacy beyond the life of a project. For a project to be ‘sustainable’ it must be economically, technically, environmentally and socially beneficial for both the company and the community, taking particular account of impacts on vulnerable or disadvantaged peoples.

3.3 Community consultation The community consultation program ran through July to September 2018 with most of the interviews and briefings taking place in Berry Springs, Palmerston and Darwin.

Consultation was guided by a community consultation and communication strategy and supported with materials that helped explain elements of the project to diverse audiences. (See Community Consultation Report for more detail.)

3.4 Requirements of the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority’s (NTEPA) guidelines for preparing an Economic and Social Impact Management Plan state that a SIMP establishes the roles and responsibilities of the proponent, government, stakeholders and the community in mitigating and managing impacts and making the most of opportunities through the life of a project. At a minimum the plan should:

• include a summary of the SIMP • include an outline of current and proposed stakeholder engagement strategies • prioritise potential social impacts predicted in the SIA • outline mitigation and management strategies for identified impacts, including a

register of agreed activities and commitments • incorporate monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms, and mechanisms to

resolve new and emerging issues as they transpire and to amend the SIA • include a communication strategy.


4 Key findings Core Exploration plans to open and develop a mining and processing project on vacant Crown Land on the Cox Peninsula.

The key opportunities identified from the project are the opportunities for direct and indirect jobs including Indigenous employment and local contracts, and the flow-on effects of these. This includes a boost to the local economy through payments to workers, contractors and local companies and local procurement of goods and services. Sponsorship is also identified as a key opportunity for impacted communities, particularly Berry Springs.

Key negative impacts identified include increased road safety risk due to project traffic, particularly in built-up areas and specifically around the Berry Springs Primary School, and traffic delays or congestion due to additional industrial and workforce traffic and blasting activity.

This assessment finds a total of five opportunities and 16 potentially negative impacts, although all except two of the negative impacts have a LOW rating.

The five positive impacts are all rated as MODERATE, meaning they are expected to have a MODERATE positive impact after enhancement. These are:

• local communities benefit through distribution of sponsorship funds • local businesses benefit from winning contracts • local economies stimulated through payments to workers, contractors and local

companies • boost to direct and indirect local employment, through jobs on the project or

throughout the local supply chain • Indigenous employment opportunities.

Of the negative potential impacts, there were none with an overall EXTREME or HIGH rating, two had a MODERATE rating and 14 were assessed as LOW.

The two MODERATE impact ratings were:

• increased road safety risk due to project traffic, particularly in built-up areas • traffic delays or congestion from additional industrial, workforce vehicles and

blasting.

The ratings for each of the impacts listed in this document are the expected positive or negative social impacts after mitigation or enhancement.


4.1 People and communities

Impacts and opportunities to people and communities

Impacts and opportunities

# Mitigation or enhancement Residual rating

Indicators

Reduced community amenity in the region for local residents and along the transport route.

1 Environmental Management Plan to minimise dust and noise.

Best practice dust management, visual monitoring of dust emissions along Cox Peninsula Road and additional dust management if dust is visible.

Blasting Management Plan to address any noise and safety issues.

Traffic Management Plan.

Implementation of speed restrictions through Berry Springs.

When determining blasting times:

• take into consideration feedback from stakeholders

• use traffic monitoring to determine peak traffic times.

Community liaison and stakeholder engagement:

• advise stakeholders and the local community of blasting times and how a decision was reached (transparency).

• ongoing engagement with Berry Springs Primary School on truck movements.

Local sponsorship program focusing on the most impacted areas.

Low Number of complaints on amenity issues.

Level of community concern (annual survey).


Local communities benefit through distribution of sponsorship funds.

OP1 Develop a sponsorship plan to ensure the most affected stakeholders and communities have the opportunity to benefit from the project.

Moderate Outcomes for communities and community groups from distribution of sponsorship funds.

4.1.1 Key findings relating to people and communities • The area immediately surrounding the project site is mostly unoccupied bushland,

some of which has previously been disturbed by mining activity. Those mainly impacted will be residents and communities along the transport route, in particular Berry Springs, or those who use Cox Peninsula Road to access other areas such as Wagait, Mandorah, Dundee, Crab Claw Island, Belyuen and surrounding areas.

• One of the key amenity issues is likely to be traffic congestion and increased travel times due to road closures for the blasting activity scheduled to occur three times per week and lasting up to 15 minutes.

• It is not expected that local residents will hear or feel the blasting as the closest neighbour is about five kilometres from the project site.

• Another key issue is likely to be the associated dust, noise, safety issues and inconvenience with an increase in traffic, which is expected to include a fleet of three quad road trains travelling up to a total of 10 round trips per day from the mine site to Darwin Port.

• Dust emissions from site clearing and preparation, stockpiling and truck movements are unlikely to impact people and communities due to the location of the mine site however dust suppression and monitoring will be essential to ensure dust does not become an issue. The ore being transported is a gravel-like material with low dust emissions and as truck loads will be covered, dust during transportation is not expected to impact people along the haul route.

• The project is likely to run 24 hours per day. • As the workforce is expected to be sourced locally where possible, or relocated to the

area, there will not be any accommodation camp. Workers will commute to and from the project site, which would increase traffic on the nearby roads, however Core is considering busing the workforce to and from site.

• Local communities could benefit from the project through Core providing sponsorship funds for local community groups, sporting groups and schools.

4.1.2 Management and mitigation

Core will:

• Develop and implement an Environmental Management Plan which will identify measures to minimise dust and noise. This will include best practice dust management and visual monitoring of dust emissions on Cox Peninsula Road, and additional dust management if required.

• Prepare a Blasting Management Plan to address any noise and safety issues related to the blasting activity.


• Prepare a Traffic Management Plan that identifies ways to minimise traffic impacts on the local communities and stakeholders.

• Implement speed restrictions through Berry Springs. • Use traffic monitoring data to identify peak traffic times and take into consideration

feedback from stakeholders when determining blasting times. • Ensure ongoing and early communication of planned blasting times to all stakeholders

to minimise disruption to traffic by increasing awareness. • Communicate the decision-making process for the blasting times to the community to

ensure transparency. • Continue engagement with Berry Springs Primary School on truck movements. • Develop and implement a local sponsorship program focusing on the most impacted

stakeholders.

4.2 Business and economies

Impacts and opportunities to business and economies



Indicators

Other industry sectors negatively impacted by industrial traffic on local roads.

2 Traffic Management Plan.

Signage on Cox Peninsula Road informing motorists of road trains with safe driving messages.

Communication and engagement with stakeholders.

Low Number of complaints from other industries about impacts.

Feedback from other industries.

Community expectations of local content not realised.

3 Recruitment and procurement processes prioritising the local market.

Package and promote tenders to suit local capacity.

Ongoing communication to manage local content expectations.

Low Number of local contracts awarded.

Value of local contracts awarded.

Community expectations of boost to local economy not met.

4 Recruitment and procurement processes prioritising the local market.


Ongoing communication with the community and business sector about project detail to minimise unrealistic expectations.

Low Number of local contracts awarded.


Number of locals employed.


4.2.1 Key findings relating to business and economic impacts • Tourists and locals use the Stuart Highway and Cox Peninsula Road to access the

Territory Wildlife Park, Litchfield National Park, Berry Springs, Dundee, Crab Claw and other tourist locations for fishing, camping, recreation and visiting attractions. The Northern Territory Government is currently sealing the Litchfield Park Road. The road is due to be completed in 2020 which is likely to increase the traffic using Cox Peninsula Road to access Litchfield Park. It is unlikely that tourist numbers will be affected by the project however tourist traffic may be delayed along Cox Peninsula Road during road closures for blasting.

• Cattle trucks from pastoral properties in the region use Cox Peninsula Road to transport cattle to the Darwin Port, and may be impacted by road closures for blasting.

• Tourist traffic and cattle trucks may be inconvenienced by traffic delays or slow traffic in sections where overtaking is difficult and poses a road safety risk (see section on health, safety and wellbeing for road safety risk).

• There is a community expectation that local businesses have the capabilities to do the work required and will be awarded contracts, particularly at a time of economic downturn.

• This is a small-scale project and offers a good match for local capacity. However, the community expectation of local jobs and contracts and a boost to the local economy may exceed reality due to the scale and duration of the project.


Core will:

• Develop and implement a Traffic Management Plan to manage traffic delays and impacts to traffic movements.

Local businesses benefit from winning contracts.

OP2 Procurement processes prioritising the local market.


Proactive identification of local business with the capability to work on the project.

Agreements with contractors to specify local service and supply requirements.

Moderate Number of local contracts awarded.


Business satisfaction levels.

Local economies stimulated through payments to workers, contractors and local companies

OP3 Recruitment and procurement processes prioritising the local market.


Moderate Number of local contracts awarded.


Project expenditure (direct and indirect) in the NT and the region.


• Ensure road signage before and along Cox Peninsula Road to inform motorists of road trains and include safe driving messages.

• Continue communication and engagement with stakeholders around traffic. • Where commercially reasonable, prioritise local recruitment and procurement. • Package and promote tenders in a way that suits local businesses (where this is

commercially reasonable), communicate opportunities and manage expectations. • Specify minimum local service and supply requirements in agreements with

contractors.

4.3 Employment and education Impacts and opportunities for employment and education



Indicators

Community expectations of local jobs not realised.

5 Communication with the community about project detail including expected number of jobs to minimise unrealistic expectations.

Recruitment and procurement processes prioritising the local market.

Low Number of locals who win jobs.

Number of unsuccessful local applicants.

Proportion of workforce that is local.

Boost to direct and indirect local employment, through jobs on the project or throughout the local supply chain.

OP4 Communication regarding job numbers and opportunities.

Recruitment and procurement processes prioritising the local market.

Moderate Number of locals who win jobs.

Retention rates for local workers.

Proportion of workforce that is local.

Indigenous employment opportunities.

OP5 Work with Ironbark Aboriginal Corporation, Larrakia Development Corporation or other Indigenous employment and training providers to maximise Indigenous employment opportunities.

Provide support to contractors to employ and train local Aboriginal people.

Moderate Number of local Indigenous people who win jobs.

Retention rates for local Indigenous workers.

Proportion of workforce that is local Indigenous.


4.3.1 Key findings relating to employment and education

• There is an expectation that workers will be sourced locally for the project and Core has made a commitment to recruit locally where feasible. This is reinforced by the fact the project will not accommodate workers onsite as it expects to employ workers living in the local area. Core expects to employ 100 to 150 workers on the project.

• There is some optimism and expectation that this project will fill part of the employment gaps left by the Inpex project and the abattoir.

• There may be unrealistic expectations about the number of jobs available as some people assume mining projects employ hundreds of workers. However, the number of jobs available is likely to suit the capacity of the region to provide a suitable workforce.

• There is an expectation that there will be an opportunity for Indigenous people to work on the project. The extent of opportunities for Indigenous people will depend on job readiness, due to the short-term nature and scale of the project. There may be work-ready Indigenous people in the region who can be supported by the Ironbark Aboriginal Corporation or there may be Indigenous people seeking work following the end of the construction phase of the Inpex project.


Core is committed to:

• Providing support to contractors to employ and train local Indigenous people. • Working with the Ironbark Aboriginal Corporation, the Larrakia Development

Corporation or other Indigenous employment and training providers to maximise employment opportunities for Indigenous people.

• Communicating with the community about project detail including expected number of jobs, to minimise unrealistic expectations.

4.4 Infrastructure and social services Impacts and opportunities for infrastructure and social services



Indicators

Pressure on local road integrity and maintenance from additional industrial traffic.

6 Ongoing engagement with the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL).

Low Feedback from DIPL on road conditions and maintenance program.

Traffic delays or congestion from additional industrial, workforce vehicles and blasting.


Plan truck movements to minimise impacts to people and communities.

When determining blasting times:

Medium Number of complaints about traffic delays or congestion.


• take into consideration feedback from stakeholders

• use traffic monitoring to determine peak traffic times.

Community liaison and stakeholder engagement:

• advise stakeholders and the local community of blasting times and how a decision was reached (transparency).

• ongoing engagement with Berry Springs Primary School on truck movements.

Consider transporting workers to and from site by bus to minimise traffic.

Level of community concern (annual survey).

Increased pressure on police and emergency services.

8 Emergency Management and Response Plan.

Fire breaks to reduce the risk of bushfires.

Traffic Management Plan.

Emergency response capability and first aid facilities on site.

Road rescue capabilities on site.

Fencing and security measures onsite for security of explosives.

Measures in place to enable emergency vehicles passage through road closure to access an emergency.

Low Incidence of bushfires related to the project.

Number of incidents requiring fire services response.

Number of medical evacuations requiring health triage.

Number of incidents requiring police assistance.

4.4.1 Key findings relating to infrastructure and social services

• Core selected Cox Peninsula Road as the main transport route following stakeholder feedback in October 2017 that indicated the alternative route (Finn Road) was not suitable for road trains.

• Stakeholder discussions revealed that Cox Peninsula Road floods during heavy rainfall in the wet season and increases the risk the road will be damaged by heavy vehicles. DIPL advised that weight restrictions will apply on the road during flooding. Damage to the road is considered to be a low risk due to the weight restrictions during flooding and the relatively small number of trucks that will be using the road.

• Cox Peninsula Road will be closed three times per week for approximately 15 minutes each time for blasting at the mine. This will result in traffic delays or congestion on


and around Cox Peninsula Road and could impact locals, commuters, fishermen, tourists and pastoralists transporting cattle.

• With a fleet of three quad road trains travelling up to a total of 10 round trips from the mine site to Darwin Port per day, there may also be slow traffic in sections where overtaking is difficult or unsafe.

• Although the number of road trains is relatively small and won’t result in a large increase in the volume of traffic, it will be noticeable for the rural area and particularly along Cox Peninsula Road which is a relatively narrow road.

• The project traffic is unlikely to have an impact along the Stuart Highway given that it is dual lane and the number of heavy vehicles for the Inpex project and other major projects using that route in the past.

• It is expected that road trauma, bushfires, spills, workplace incidents or other emergencies could increase as a result of the project and could increase pressure on emergency services, however given the scale and length of the project, the risk is not considered high.

• The area surrounding the project has a high incidence of bushfires, therefore fire breaks and other fire management practices will be essential.

• There is a minimum 30-minute wait time for emergency response due to the distance of the site from dispatch locations.

• Cox Peninsula Road is the only road that accesses Dundee Beach, Belyuen, Wagait and Mandorah. Road closures could affect emergency vehicle access to these areas.


Core will ensure:

• Ongoing engagement with DIPL. • A Traffic Management Plan is prepared to manage traffic delays and impacts to traffic

movements. • Road signage before and along Cox Peninsula Road will inform motorists of expected

delays, road trains and include safe driving messages. • Ongoing communication and engagement with stakeholders around blasting times,

truck movements and traffic delays. • When planning truck movements and blasting times, traffic monitoring data will be

used to determine peak traffic times and take stakeholder feedback into consideration.

• Truck movements are planned to minimise impacts to other road users and stakeholders.

• Blasting times are planned to minimise impacts to other road users. • It will transport workers to and from site to minimise traffic. • An Emergency Management and Response Plan is prepared, it will use fire breaks to

reduce the risk of bushfires and ensure workers onsite have emergency response capabilities and there are road rescue capabilities and first aid facilities onsite.

• There are adequate fencing and securing measures onsite for security of explosives. • Measures in place to enable emergency vehicles passage through road closure to

access an emergency.


4.5 Health, wellbeing and safety Impacts and opportunities for health, wellbeing and safety



Indicators

Increased road safety risk due to project traffic, particularly in built-up areas.


Collaboration with NT Police, Berry Springs Primary School and community on truck movements.

Implementation of speed restrictions through Berry Springs.

Alert system implemented to monitor truck speeds with consequences for breaches.

A complaints hotline to report any traffic breaches.

Workplace health and safety regulations to minimise risk of workers driving after long shifts/ or transport workers to and from site by bus to minimise risk. If workers are not transported by bus, they will be encouraged to carpool.

Haulage operations and controls over timing of heavy vehicles (e.g. avoiding times when children are travelling to and from school).

Shift changes timed to minimise traffic increases through Berry Springs during school start and end times.

Moderate Number of road trauma incidents involving property damage, death or injury (directly related to project traffic).

Number of complaints reporting traffic breaches.

Number of incidences of trucks exceeding speed limits through the alert system.

Anxiety as a result of fears about project impacts (eg impacts on water).

10 Environmental Management Plan.

Ongoing communication with the community and stakeholders about the project, including environmental management, water use and management. This will minimise rumours and misinformation that leads to fear and anxiety.

Low Level of community concern (survey).

Feedback through site office or hotline about impacts to water.


Local presence (site office or hotline) and a place people can go for more information.

Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Plan.

4.5.1 Key findings relating to health, wellbeing and safety

• The project traffic during construction and operations increases the risk to road safety with industrial traffic sharing the road with pedestrians, commuters, tourists, fishermen, school buses and school traffic, cattle trucks and other motorists, particularly in built-up areas.

• During the construction phase there will be industrial traffic travelling along Cox Peninsula Road to and from the project site. During operations, project traffic will consist of a fleet of three quad road trains traveling up to a total of 10 round trips per day from the mine site to Darwin Port. There will also be some workforce vehicles travelling along Cox Peninsula Road.

• Road safety risk hotspots include: o Berry Springs Primary School on Cox Peninsula Road, particularly at school

drop-off and pick-up times. o Berry Springs township on Cox Peninsula Road including the shopping centre

turn off, petrol stations, the hotel and a number of residential turn-offs. o The turn-off to the Territory Wildlife Park driving towards Berry Springs

township does not have a turning lane. o A school bus interchange is on the corner of Cox Peninsula Road and Stuart

Highway. School students use this interchange on their way to and from school. This interchange is well set back from the road reserves.

o The intersection between the Stuart Highway and Girraween Road at Coolalinga is a known area for traffic accidents. The Inpex ‘park and ride’ (which will remain in place until mid-2019), a school bus interchange, and access to Coolalinga Shopping Centre are all at this intersection.

• There is also increased risk to road safety if workers are drive-in, drive-out, due to additional traffic on the roads and potential fatigue after shift work. Workforce traffic will be at shift changes which will be early morning and late afternoon/evening. Core has indicated it will consider busing workers to and from site.

• Berry Springs residents in particular may have concerns about the project’s water source and use due to the current issues regarding availability of water in the area. Water availability has been identified as a key barrier to development on the Cox Peninsula. Open communication with stakeholders about the project’s source and use of water is essential to minimise misinformation, rumours and anxiety.

• There may also be concerns about risk to the surrounding environment, flora, fauna, landscapes, waste, industrial activity and concerns about the safety of the material being transported from site to port. This can be during the planning stage, construction, operations, closure and post-closure, therefore ongoing communication with the community is important.



• Core’s mitigation measures to address road safety risk include: o a Traffic Management Plan o ongoing collaboration with Berry Springs Primary School, NT Police and the

community on truck movements o implementation of speed restrictions through Berry Springs o a complaints hotline to report traffic breaches o an alert system to monitor truck speeds with consequences for breaches o workplace health and safety regulations to minimise risk of workers driving

after long shifts or transporting workers by bus o regulating road train travel times (e.g. to avoid times when children are

travelling to and from school) o timing shift changes to minimise increased traffic through Berry Springs during

school peak periods. • Core recognises the key to minimising the risk of anxiety about the project as a result

of rumours and misinformation is ongoing open and transparent communication with the community. Accordingly, a communication strategy for the project will be developed. Core will establish a local presence (via a hotline) where people can easily access more information.

• An Environmental Management Plan and a Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Plan will address potential environmental impacts and rehabilitation requirements.

4.6 Culture and heritage Impacts and opportunities for culture and heritage



Indicators

Destruction or damage to cultural or significant sites

11 The known heritage sites within the mining lease will be no-go areas.

A Code of Conduct for workers and inductions will cover protection of heritage values.

Any previously unrecorded archaeological sites encountered will be reported to the NT Heritage Branch for advice on how to respond. Procedures for unexpected heritage finds will be included in the Mine Management Plan.

An Authority Certificate will be obtained from the AAPA.

Low Destruction or damage to sites.


Reduced access to and enjoyment of traditional cultural activities

12 Environment Management Plan.

Engage with relevant Indigenous stakeholders to ensure traditional activities such as food gathering and camping in nearby areas are not impacted.

Unable to be assessed – see discussion

Complaints about reduced access.

4.6.1 Key findings relating to culture and heritage

• Advice from the NT Heritage Branch indicates there is a recorded Aboriginal archaeological site in the north-west corner of the mining lease. This site is protected under the NT Heritage Act but is outside the disturbance footprint and will not be impacted by mining operations.

• There are two old tin mines located on the eastern side of the mining lease. The NT Heritage Branch advises these sites are not protected under the Act but do have some historic heritage value and should be avoided if possible.

• Any destruction or damage to sacred sites or sites of special significance would cause distress to traditional owners and a loss of cultural and spiritual connections to country.

• This can be controlled through proper clearances, working with the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, a code of conduct for workers, good management plans such as the Environmental Management Plan and marking of sites.

• Larrakia people and Belyuen residents may enjoy traditional cultural activities near the site or downstream. The extent of the traditional activities in this area is unknown as the stakeholders who could provide this information were not available to participate in the consultation, however a meeting with the Belyuen community is expected in late 2018 . Core’s future stakeholder engagement will include discussions with relevant Indigenous stakeholders to ensure any traditional cultural activities are not impacted by the mine.


Core will ensure:

• The known heritage sites within the mining lease will be no-go areas. • A Code of Conduct for workers and inductions that will cover protection of heritage

values. • Any previously unrecorded archaeological sites encountered will be reported to the

NT Heritage Branch for advice on how to respond. Procedures for unexpected heritage finds will be included in the Mine Management Plan.

• An Authority Certificate will be obtained from the AAPA. • There is an Environment Management Plan. • Engagement with relevant Indigenous stakeholders to ensure traditional activities in

nearby areas are not impacted.


4.7 Environment Impacts and opportunities for environment



Indicators

Threats to environmental values from industrial activity.


Ongoing stakeholder and community engagement.

Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Plan.

Low Level of current industrial development.

Community perceptions about the level of change (attitude surveys).

Impacts on the availability of groundwater to other users.


Water Management Plan

Ongoing communication with stakeholders and the community about water use.

Low Level of current industrial development.

Community perceptions about the level of change (attitude surveys).

4.7.1 Key findings relating to environment

• The project is relatively small compared with other mining projects in the Territory, however the Cox Peninsula region’s environmental values are important to people in the region including traditional owners, residents, fishermen and tourists and it is likely that people will want to protect the region from any negative environmental impacts.

• At this stage Core does not have plans to back-fill the pit, and some stakeholders have raised concerns that post-mining the open pit will fill with water and flooding will release toxins into the environment.

• The project’s water requirements will be sourced from a combination of the existing Observation Hill Dam (the wall of which will be raised to increase capacity), a new small dam built on the mineral lease, capture and re-use of stormwater that falls on the mine site, re-use of groundwater that enters the pit and recycled water from processing activities.

• There is a high level of awareness and concern in the Territory about the use of ground water for industrial purposes. The Berry Springs area is experiencing water shortages and restrictions and water availability has also been identified as a key barrier to development on the Cox Peninsula.

• Core engaged technical specialists to quantify water yields from the proposed dams and inflow of groundwater to the pit to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply. The studies also model potential downstream impacts to surface water flows and groundwater levels that could occur as a result of the mine.

• There will be an ongoing appetite for information on water use and contamination.


• There are temporary swimming holes in the wet season downstream from the project, and people may have concerns about the impacts to those. Modelling indicates the reduction in flow is not expected to impact on those waterholes.


Core plans to manage and mitigate these impacts with:

• An Environmental Management Plan, Water Management Plan, Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Plan and ongoing stakeholder and community engagement around the project’s water use and impacts to water availability and quality.

4.8 Human rights

Impacts and opportunities for human rights



Indicators

Breaches of human rights.

15 Code of Conduct.

HR Management Plan.

Culturally-appropriate communication.

Low Number of complaints or grievances about breaches of human rights.

4.8.1 Key findings relating to human rights • Impact assessment is paying increased attention to potential, intentional or

inadvertent breaches of human rights, from breaches of labour laws, racism, recruitment and workplace practices that may create inequitable opportunities or burdens for female workers.

• While unlikely for this project, the issue is raised to allow for proactive management.

4.8.2 Management and mitigation Core’s management and mitigation measures will include:

• A Human Resources Management Plan including worker codes of behaviour that address any issues that could lead to breaches.

• Consideration of potential human rights issues in human resource planning and practice.

• Appropriate grievance procedures and remedies for workers to raise any concerns.


4.9 Cumulative

Cumulative impacts and opportunities



Indicators

Cumulative impacts of industrial activity on the environment and of increased industrialisation of the region.


Mine Closure Plan.

Stakeholder engagement.

Ongoing communication.

Low Number of projects operating in the region at the same time.

4.9.1 Key findings relating to cumulative impacts and opportunities

• Cumulative impacts may arise when multiple projects are operating in an area at the same time, creating competition for staff, compounding pressure on services and multiple and interacting pressures on the environment.

• There is limited industry on Cox Peninsula and as noted previously, as water is a limiting factor, it is unlikely that cumulative impacts of industrial activity will be felt there. There is however a perception among a small number of stakeholders interviewed that this is another mining or industrial project that is increasing industrial activity in and around Darwin harbour and the region, potentially impacting on water and biodiversity of the region.

• Many people living in the rural area value the region for its environmental and recreational assets and don’t want to see increasing industrialisation of the area.


• While Core will have little control over cumulative impacts, it will minimise the impacts of this project on the region with an Environmental Management Plan, Mine Closure Plan, and ongoing communication with the community.


5 Commitments register Below is a summary of Core Exploration’s commitments:

Commitment Responsibility Accountability

1. Establish the mechanism for ongoing engagement with key stakeholders and the community.

Core will meet with key stakeholders to determine their preferred method of ongoing engagement. This could include a small advisory group, regular newsletters with progress reports etc.

Regular reporting to key stakeholders (or advisory group) and/or regular community newsletters with updates.

2. Agree on indicators to be monitored

Stakeholders and Core to discuss risks and opportunities identified in this SIMP and agree on indicators to be measured, how often and reporting.

Regular reporting to stakeholders includes measurement of agreed indicators against baseline data in SIA.

3. Grievance register

Core will establish a register to be maintained by site management, with agreed protocols and response times for complaints and escalation flow chart.

Core commits to appropriate responses in the event of complaints, from communication to redress and remedy or compensate.

Number and type of complaints will be reported to stakeholders through updates, together with an outline of how complaints were resolved.

4. Management plans

All issues raised in this SIMP will be addressed in other appropriate management plans where relevant, including:

• Traffic Management Plan • Blasting Management Plan • Environmental Management Plan

(including heritage protection) • Engagement Plan • Sponsorship Plan • Emergency Management and Response

Plan • Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Plan • Human Resource Management Plan • Occupational Health and Safety

plan • Site Safety Management Plan • Worker Code of Conduct.

Any reportable social issues covered by other management plans will be covered in regular reporting to stakeholders.

5. Indigenous employment

Core will work with Indigenous employment and training providers to maximise Indigenous employment opportunities.

Report to relevant stakeholders on progress.


6. Local recruitment and procurement process

Recruitment and procurement processes prioritise the local market.

Core will work with business groups to identify local capacity and capabilities before packaging tenders.

Good communication on opportunities and expected standards.

Reporting on value and number of local contracts.

7. Sponsorship and community investment

Core will identify opportunities to invest in community development and support, infrastructure, sport and education and scholarships.

Reporting on sponsorships to stakeholders and through community updates and newsletters.

8. Worker policies Core will prepare policies for employees covering the behaviour of staff, contractors and sub-contractors to address all issues raised in this SIMP. This includes issues such as respecting all sacred and cultural sites, acceptable workplace practices and general standards of behaviour.

Policies will be public documents.

9. Monitoring results

Core will share monitoring results of interest to the community, such as water quality monitoring.

Report to stakeholders through meetings and community updates.

10. Communication and engagement

Core will maintain good communication and engagement with the community through the following:

• community updates on the project, distributed by email to key stakeholders and placed on local community noticeboards

• posting regular updates and community reports on a project page of the company’s website

• ongoing liaison with key stakeholders such as Berry Springs Primary School and the Berry Springs community

• holding site visits/open days for the local community

• conducting annual satisfaction surveys with key stakeholders

• establishing and maintaining a well-publicised complaints hotline and email

• open and honest communication of any incidents in breach of these commitments.

Communication and engagement activities to be reported to stakeholders and the community.

appendix msocial impact management plan (updated) · core exploration grants lithium project social...

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